Darke and Preble County Sheriffs warn motorists of Tour De Donut event

DARKE COUNTY – Darke County Sheriff Toby L. Spencer and Preble County Sheriff Michael Simpson along with the Tour De Donut organizers and the Village Police Chiefs of Arcanum and Lewisburg would like to advise motorists to use caution while traveling on Southeast Darke County and Northeast Preble County roadways this Saturday morning.

Beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday the 8th Annual Tour De Donut bicycle riding event will be held in Southeast Darke County and Northeast Preble County. There are expected to be at least 2,000 riders of all ages participating in this event that starts and ends in the Village of Arcanum.

The route for the event encompasses many of the county and township roads and village streets in the Arcanum, Gordon, Verona and Lewisburg areas. There will be stops on the bike route located in the Villages of Gordon and Lewisburg. Complete maps of the event routes are available on the maps tab of www.thetourdedonut.com.

The event route is an open course which requires all cyclists and motorists to obey the traffic laws.

“Motorists are advised to slow down and pay attention for cyclists that will be sharing the roadway. As always you should not engage in distracted driving while operating a vehicle and keep your attention focused on driving your vehicle. Practice defensive driving techniques by looking ahead and being prepared for any problems that may occur,” advised the sheriffs.

Darke County and Preble County Deputies along with Arcanum and Lewisburg Police officers will be patrolling the streets and roadways and enforcing traffic laws. Deputies and police officers will be present at key intersections along the routes to assist motorists and cyclists alike.

Fire and rescue units will also be patrolling on the route to assist with any emergency that might arise.

“We thank the citizens in Darke and Preble County and the surrounding villages for their patience and helping us make this a safe and enjoyable event for everyone,” they said.